tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19942722014582839512024-02-02T10:33:00.379-08:00Once Upon A GardenJulie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-37050094294400895332011-05-17T17:35:00.000-07:002011-05-17T17:35:21.199-07:00Flowerpot GardenHere's a closeup of the flowerpot container gardens I made for the patio makeover! Since planting, the flowers have really started to "pop" and are looking gorgeous! Especially the Begonias! I'll have to post an update soon!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBCun67AxBR8ALNDZ0POY6-K0QV1TgRD5-K6wOms5FUrjTH55tDFAPzyZ4lAOl3PYj6h9mk13doFnpvlrujW9Mi_kY7suTZn_q1HYal16eszR-Un9vtRGQ5zST_bXdDXYxBB4nOn7yzz5/s1600/DSC04736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBCun67AxBR8ALNDZ0POY6-K0QV1TgRD5-K6wOms5FUrjTH55tDFAPzyZ4lAOl3PYj6h9mk13doFnpvlrujW9Mi_kY7suTZn_q1HYal16eszR-Un9vtRGQ5zST_bXdDXYxBB4nOn7yzz5/s320/DSC04736.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgiQSOkR6cIbb5HgBjVh_kVt_mpkstvIqIoGl-xbnu7QGncwtD4AVMZBgbPfILaJZvbRbVZUprQc1jjicHFlrpWZREiVgR4c-K9wC8PJf8G1Apk53ebKuCAGfpxFywvSHBDEtIJNBDQ_g/s1600/DSC04737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgiQSOkR6cIbb5HgBjVh_kVt_mpkstvIqIoGl-xbnu7QGncwtD4AVMZBgbPfILaJZvbRbVZUprQc1jjicHFlrpWZREiVgR4c-K9wC8PJf8G1Apk53ebKuCAGfpxFywvSHBDEtIJNBDQ_g/s320/DSC04737.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-63485868081741124782011-05-13T17:57:00.000-07:002011-05-13T17:57:00.856-07:00Our New Patio!As I posted on our family blog, we just did a mini backyard makeover. I focused on the patio. You can ready the entire makeover story here. So I'll just give you the before & after shots! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">BEFORE</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXve_DeXCR70iRSaukdtK-t96p1ASMo8qz2GBKldGTf8dcKqB5gK-MqDz3tTvlOSLldF_gk-ZAW7kT5dqo3tv2qJOSTAtImPNpWPJXkBNwsNrVWpheNJx4a1Iq1yFFy67scQYO3zNEPwYR/s1600/DSC04667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXve_DeXCR70iRSaukdtK-t96p1ASMo8qz2GBKldGTf8dcKqB5gK-MqDz3tTvlOSLldF_gk-ZAW7kT5dqo3tv2qJOSTAtImPNpWPJXkBNwsNrVWpheNJx4a1Iq1yFFy67scQYO3zNEPwYR/s320/DSC04667.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><strong>AFTER</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3BnTGu1aBq9FfqhBvszuSdj3B3Iy8Qu1nVTcDpvKkHXcINtbYfEeG_uWK-MBRanQFQxbw6bSTwy47yM8btb57xb_ElucN-UnABNjllqQ85xA3IYTQl-l5Ong4eaE8Y-3TDxDruWxM3ga/s1600/DSC04748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3BnTGu1aBq9FfqhBvszuSdj3B3Iy8Qu1nVTcDpvKkHXcINtbYfEeG_uWK-MBRanQFQxbw6bSTwy47yM8btb57xb_ElucN-UnABNjllqQ85xA3IYTQl-l5Ong4eaE8Y-3TDxDruWxM3ga/s320/DSC04748.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><strong>AND AT NIGHT</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLm6p8fudUjHDHdftBn5BDZ7bnAg3VeTXlepa0RBlLQytfJs2gPiF7wRURLRxah9Qyw-eEJaXRbkbCARcrknQGsRlV3r256-jk7cmCCB9NdCRlnoZIcnv8kNBZV9CeFYayyvDbIx8Q9XI/s1600/DSC04771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLm6p8fudUjHDHdftBn5BDZ7bnAg3VeTXlepa0RBlLQytfJs2gPiF7wRURLRxah9Qyw-eEJaXRbkbCARcrknQGsRlV3r256-jk7cmCCB9NdCRlnoZIcnv8kNBZV9CeFYayyvDbIx8Q9XI/s320/DSC04771.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>What do you think?</em></strong> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-50834553108751006552011-05-07T17:06:00.000-07:002011-05-07T17:06:47.897-07:00Are you thinking of organic gardening? (We are!)I have lots to say on our switch to organic lawn care and gardening. But before I develop some posts on this matter, there is an article you should read. Be careful what kind of "organic compost" products you buy. As it turns out, some of these products contain processed human sewage. <br />
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Which in itself isn't necessarily always bad but when you consider that medications like Prozac and other harmful materials get dumped in people's toilets, a giant compost of collective human sewage is a really bad idea. <br />
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Read the article <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/032305_organic_compost_human_sewage.html">here</a>.Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-39274049657370214402011-04-25T18:14:00.000-07:002011-04-25T18:14:00.402-07:00Making RoomGuess what we did on Earth Day? Cut down trees. Okay so we aren't really "Earth Day" people anyway but I thought it was kinda humorous! We are making room for more sunshine for our gardens, and also the root system of this behemoth was just sucking the life out of our lawn.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF7SZdeWgEzKhehBkUFA3hluV9Y0XaIBR1DSOBSYBzOFul9m1ZawjaEkf7GS5tRVdK5Ez1nEvqyNc76T9wz-DX-_TwVkHhLgvJY0LJz_uRcHS8e33AF_a4h1kfW5YIFTYSqvJEuQx1P51/s1600/DSC04324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF7SZdeWgEzKhehBkUFA3hluV9Y0XaIBR1DSOBSYBzOFul9m1ZawjaEkf7GS5tRVdK5Ez1nEvqyNc76T9wz-DX-_TwVkHhLgvJY0LJz_uRcHS8e33AF_a4h1kfW5YIFTYSqvJEuQx1P51/s400/DSC04324.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We also cut down the scraggly pine that was in the front yard because, let's face it - it was an eyesore and way too close to power lines. <br />
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I'm hoping that in addition to making room for more sun, we're also making room for a deck with a gazebo and patio furniture... maybe a fire pit!<br />
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I have big plans for this summer! Too bad most of them involve my husband doing the work. Is there a Fairy Garden Mother around?Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-74408589757813686642011-03-12T07:34:00.000-08:002011-03-12T07:34:28.993-08:00Painting a Garden<blockquote>Take thy plastic spade,<br />
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It is thy pencil; take thy seeds, thy plants,<br />
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They are thy colours.<br />
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~William Mason, The English Garden, 1782</blockquote><br />
I love the idea that a gardener is like a painter - they choose their plants and placement as carefully as any artist weilding a brush. They "paint" with dirt, and plants, and rocks and spades, and rakes. And both artist and gardener use their hands to make beauty.Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-8950845900953050632011-02-17T19:12:00.000-08:002011-02-17T19:13:15.805-08:00What is a CSA?Sometimes, because I've done so much research on it, and participated in one, I forget that other people don't even know about CSAs. Or what they are. <br />
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CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically, it's a system whereby you purchase a "share" of a farm at the beginning of the growing season (usually mid-winter or early spring, or even the year before! Some CSAs fill up really early!). What you're doing is investing in that farm's future. Your share money allows the farmer to purchase seeds and equipment in advance of the farming year.<br />
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Then, during the growing season, your CSA entitles you to weekly "share" of the farm produce. Each CSA runs differently. Some farms require a work committment along with the payment. Other farms do not. <br />
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We belonged to the Holcomb Farm CSA in Granby, CT for several years. They grow organically, which we love. We would get about 20 weeks of "share pickup." We were given a cloth grocery bag that we could fill up each week with our choice of the farm produce. The Holcomb CSA was especially value-added because they had a huge Pick-Your-Own crop that was in addition to the share bag. <br />
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As the season goes on, different kinds of produce are available. In June, there's lots of lettuce greens, radishes, maybe some spring onions... July brings the squash, cucumbers, beets, and more. August is a good month because you have a large variety of produce. September and October bring the squashes, pumpkins... <br />
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What's great about a CSA is that you get your food directly from the source. You can often pick what you want for your share (some farms create share boxes where the produce is pre-selected). And you can get to know the farm and their farming practices first hand. <br />
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Are there drawbacks to a CSA? Sure - if the farm does not produce well, your produce pick up is reduced - or you might just have less of a selection. Because you're getting only in-season foods, you might eat the same kinds of veggies a few weeks in a row. And of course, you have to drive to your pick up location every week, sometimes at a certain time. <br />
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But overall, if you research and find the best value CSA in your area (some farms offer fewer weeks or smaller bags) you can get a really good deal and really great food! <br />
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<strong>Have you ever belonged to a CSA? Do you have more questions about how they work? </strong>Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-77447223787742556402011-01-30T20:45:00.000-08:002011-02-03T14:11:17.457-08:00I'm thinking summer...<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">...it's gotta be somewhere under all these 30 inches of snow. I am looking forward to getting the jogging stroller back out of hiding, walks in the park, and hopefully entertaining a little toddler! I've already started to think about what outdoor toys my son might like this summer. Will he want a pool again (the last one broke!), a sandbox, slide, or maybe a <a href="http://www.swingsetsandmore.com/">wooden swing set</a>? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgcEeSUBa86T7pHxiB3iPLFzMTy38MFsd7x1piP0eB3XPG569r2RnqqLDVdKBM9Xt0Te5j-0xWx9IY4TPOjZGwomUMY1gHkvzFF_uPKYCLrRnCy76K7gVhKBygtwNAv-ZlOCwD6N7wEE5/s1600/Jr%252BPlay%252BSlide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgcEeSUBa86T7pHxiB3iPLFzMTy38MFsd7x1piP0eB3XPG569r2RnqqLDVdKBM9Xt0Te5j-0xWx9IY4TPOjZGwomUMY1gHkvzFF_uPKYCLrRnCy76K7gVhKBygtwNAv-ZlOCwD6N7wEE5/s200/Jr%252BPlay%252BSlide.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I have fond memories of hanging off our swingset when I was little... I've been browsing through <a href="http://csnstores.com/">CSNStores.com</a> to see what kind of play toys might work for a 14-20 month old this summer. I'll be reviewing a product from them soon - not sure what I'll decide on (I COULD use some winter boots if this snow doesn't stop coming down!). But I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, check out CSN for yourself!</div><br />
<strong><em>Help me out - What is/was your child's favorite outdoor play toy or game around age 1-2? </em></strong>Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-47042548828737273372011-01-26T19:05:00.000-08:002011-01-26T19:05:34.280-08:00Planning Season<blockquote><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Plant carrots in January and you'll never have to eat carrots. </span></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">~Author Unknown</span></blockquote>No, it's not time for planting. But it is time for PLANNING. This is your friendly reminder that you need to order seeds, plot out your garden plans for this coming growing season. Because pretty soon, if you want to eat those carrots, you need to start some seedlings indoors or in a cold frame. <br />
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Happy Gardening!Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-26868478126298705042011-01-01T19:46:00.000-08:002011-01-01T19:46:11.574-08:00Hybrid Seeds, or Heirloom Seeds?<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWUaFNyfpJ1ehwvoKMqmczEFdL9CBUD-PnBinjvrBkCwluDKO96Ym1GXzxKAxKPHaIbh0S9YcTUPKQ9QxIcYsffY22mhUkhWsmOzoGovZDK-Rj6f7QqHLPQGWMKXjzvhO1bqIiB3YYVWy/s1600/seeds1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWUaFNyfpJ1ehwvoKMqmczEFdL9CBUD-PnBinjvrBkCwluDKO96Ym1GXzxKAxKPHaIbh0S9YcTUPKQ9QxIcYsffY22mhUkhWsmOzoGovZDK-Rj6f7QqHLPQGWMKXjzvhO1bqIiB3YYVWy/s200/seeds1.JPG" width="142" /></a>If you're thinking about planting a garden, the winter months are the time to get started planning, plotting, ordering seeds. Browse through some catalogs or look online for ideas. One question ask is whether you want to use hybrid seeds or non-hybrid/heirloom seeds? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><strong>Hybrid seeds</strong> are created by artificially cross-pollinating two plants to create an improved plant. Perhaps one that has greater resistance to disease, or tolerates drought. However, a major drawback is that you cannot "save" seeds from hybrid plants because they don't reproduce reliably. Instead, you have to buy new hybrid seeds every year. And, hybrid seed plants often need special fertilizers and chemical pesticides in order to flourish. One other reason I don't prefer hybrids is that due to the time it takes to create a reliable hybrid seed, there aren't that many varieties of each type of plant available, so your gardening choices are limited. <br />
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<strong>Heirloom seeds</strong>, on the other hand, can be saved from year to year, allowing you to save money and also invest yourself more deeply into your gardening. Heirloom seeds tend to adapt to their environments as well - learning to fight off pests, or withstand a drier climate, and so on - they tend to be hardier. Also, heirloom seeds come in lovely varieties, so the choices of colors, sizes, and flavors of your flowers and vegetables is nearly endless. Heirloom seeds can make experimenting in your garden much more fun!<br />
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We'll talk more about the benefits of heirloom seeds, and how they can be organically gardened as we go throughout the year.Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-9375745430366522882010-12-21T11:38:00.000-08:002010-12-21T11:38:41.133-08:00CSN Stores For Kids In The GardenCSN Stores keeps amazing me. I mean sure, we all know they have 200+ online stores offering everything from <a href="http://www.luggage.com/Messenger-Bags-C53104.html">leather messenger bags</a> to great cookware, but did you know they feature an extensive supply of gardening tools? <br />
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<a href="http://csnstores.com/">CSNStores.com</a> offers everything for the backyard gardener from hoes and trowels to hand-push mowers if you're looking to save money on gasoline and also get a good work out in: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOxX19S3sJcOXCZ0By9Yx3XbrkoAYIi_hspGisdO4pYyrgPO1RZMUcn1QWPEnZ-kIsgMuQ0CQC2m1wphhvAuIoXwX3l_Zl5OM3mPjjP_qhCP23gL79lDKwv2B-P1wmblcUOMVrfceAIVN/s1600/Hand%252BReel%252BLawn%252BMower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOxX19S3sJcOXCZ0By9Yx3XbrkoAYIi_hspGisdO4pYyrgPO1RZMUcn1QWPEnZ-kIsgMuQ0CQC2m1wphhvAuIoXwX3l_Zl5OM3mPjjP_qhCP23gL79lDKwv2B-P1wmblcUOMVrfceAIVN/s1600/Hand%252BReel%252BLawn%252BMower.jpg" /></a></div> I love that they have gardening toys for children too, as we hope to encourage our little one to enjoy the great outdoors (well, in our backyard!). We might get him this cute duckie watering can:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJSNhQ823JkQU1xbD37St1mMA1fXPOudi__Qzy1EN3M8yLNBgVdPAK2Qs78uMCXtW853XLxsNoHptF_2NjJwfL7k0fYzsOuA9lRw99T6ITaOmWoMTwv_kqp6RpUM61AYUkCVn1Sqo5UA-/s1600/Kid%2527s%252BDuck%252BWatering%252BCan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJSNhQ823JkQU1xbD37St1mMA1fXPOudi__Qzy1EN3M8yLNBgVdPAK2Qs78uMCXtW853XLxsNoHptF_2NjJwfL7k0fYzsOuA9lRw99T6ITaOmWoMTwv_kqp6RpUM61AYUkCVn1Sqo5UA-/s1600/Kid%2527s%252BDuck%252BWatering%252BCan.jpg" /></a></div> Or a kid-sized wheelbarrow so he can help daddy cart mulch around! <br />
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I can't wait to decide what to buy! Stay tuned because I'll be reviewing whatever we decide on!Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-2310742093147759932010-08-23T11:13:00.000-07:002010-08-23T11:13:38.075-07:00We've Struck Red Gold! Tomatoes!It's that time of year again. Putting up tomato sauce like any good Italian mama would do! <br />
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Last Saturday we spent 11 hours canning sauce, tomato broth/stock, and tomato salsa. I never feel like it's enough - what can I say, I like to stockpile this "red gold!"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">225 pounds of tomatoes PLUS</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piles of Onions, PLUS</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bundles of basil, EQUALS</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">100 Quarts of Sauce, Stock, and Salsa!</td></tr>
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</div>Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-56425910307672465302010-05-25T19:45:00.000-07:002010-05-25T19:45:32.588-07:00Spring BountyThis spring we've had just the perfect blend of sunshine and rain to create a fabulous early season of lettuces, herbs, berries... the perennials have come back thick as thieves and there's no sign of that thievin' woodchuck! We're off to a great start for our gardens!<br />
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<div><embed align="middle" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=144115188096763491&site=widget-63.slide.com" name="flashticker" quality="high" salign="l" scale="noscale" src="http://widget-63.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" style="height: 320px; width: 400px;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed><div style="text-align: left; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188096763491&map=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" ismap="ismap" src="http://widget-63.slide.com/p1/144115188096763491/bb_t054_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188096763491&map=2" target="_blank"><img border="0" ismap="ismap" src="http://widget-63.slide.com/p2/144115188096763491/bb_t054_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188096763491&map=F" target="_blank"><img border="0" ismap="ismap" src="http://widget-63.slide.com/p4/144115188096763491/bb_t054_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" /></a></div></div><br />
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</script>Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-10116945370885132892009-06-06T11:15:00.001-07:002009-06-06T11:18:00.921-07:00The Plant Formerly Known as Swiss Chard<p align="left">It is with great sorrow we saw the passing of our delectable swiss chard plant this week. Once leafy and promising bittersweet goodness to be mixed with garlic and oil... this magenta and green plant has now been reduced to but a stalk of its former self... </p><p align="left">The culprit - Chuckles, the neighborhood woodchuck... vengeance will be served! (Since, obviously the swiss chard will not!)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKh1OHEOOwqw6ZryKPX5ZyDilihNJHKSe2qgD7OA6FQxref9VK1Sy6Ah2wuMvv98H4lnuhqE2CPM-7afHJTrmQmPGe9DNN_RL7js5FVdHcuNY5dkL3nHJMgWzkSyAq9TFMJRLvs9vaVstP/s1600-h/Formerly+Known+As+Swiss+Chard.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344279957761091634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKh1OHEOOwqw6ZryKPX5ZyDilihNJHKSe2qgD7OA6FQxref9VK1Sy6Ah2wuMvv98H4lnuhqE2CPM-7afHJTrmQmPGe9DNN_RL7js5FVdHcuNY5dkL3nHJMgWzkSyAq9TFMJRLvs9vaVstP/s320/Formerly+Known+As+Swiss+Chard.JPG" border="0" /></a></p>Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-20583213936279163822009-05-25T17:01:00.000-07:002009-05-25T17:02:30.053-07:00April Showers ... Bring May Flowers<div><embed src="http://widget-8c.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=144115188096313740&site=widget-8c.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188096313740&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-8c.slide.com/p1/144115188096313740/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188096313740&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-8c.slide.com/p2/144115188096313740/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188096313740&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-8c.slide.com/p4/144115188096313740/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div>Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-54715508470903709632009-04-26T11:47:00.000-07:002009-04-26T11:51:25.394-07:00Garden Morning<em><strong>Put mouse over pictures to see comments</strong></em><br /><div><embed src="http://widget-cd.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=144115188096256461&site=widget-cd.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188096256461&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-cd.slide.com/p1/144115188096256461/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188096256461&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-cd.slide.com/p2/144115188096256461/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&amp;at=un&amp;id=144115188096256461&amp;map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-cd.slide.com/m/144115188096256461/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide9_1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188096256461&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-cd.slide.com/p4/144115188096256461/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div>Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-41496211177878609352009-04-17T06:20:00.000-07:002009-04-17T09:19:39.237-07:00Want to be a Gardener? Think Again!<p align="center"><iframe style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 219px" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=awriwit-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0060852569&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p><p><br />The latest government control plan is to take over your home garden, roadside farm stands, and small farms that grow heirloom crops. </p><p>Read the book <em>Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life</em> written by Barbara <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Kingsolver</span>, her daughter & husband. Not only is this book entertaining, educational, and insightful, including many fine recipes and tips on gardening, but it also shares with the reader how the big three giant seed conglomerates like Monsanto have destroyed the vegetable/seed industry with modified seeds, and have created virtually a triangular “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">tri</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">opoly</span>” in the farming business! The food grown from these seeds is poor quality, lacks proper nutrition, contains byproducts & chemicals that are harmful to humans and animals, even some people are ALLERGIC to them – </p><p>THINK: Why do you think there’s a commercial campaign out right now to make High Fructose Corn Syrup seem “okay”? Because with all the corn that farmers have to grow (b/c it’s one of just a few government subsidized crops!), there’s more corn than the market demands, meaning farmers have to turn it into SOME marketable product, and VOILA: High Fructose Corn Syrup! </p><p>THINK: Is it any coincidence that we’re noticing so many more people with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Celiac</span> disease and other food allergy diseases in the past decade? This could be the result of growing up eating foods made primarily with these modified seed/plant products.<br /><br />Now, the government wants to control your backyard garden, farm stands, and small farms! Don't be fooled - they are pushing through this bill quietly while everyone is distracted by what is happening on the international stage. All you have to do is look at who is behind this bill (and who their spouse is - oh, he's the head of Monsanto! How surprising!) to see the deception! Read the following articles to find out more.<br /><br />ARTICLES:<br /><a href="http://www.opednews.com/articles/Monsanto-s-dream-bill-HR-by-Linn-Cohen-Cole-090309-337.html">Monsanto's Dream Bill Op Ed News March 9, 2009</a><em>"Congressional Bill HR 875 - introduced by Congresswoman Rosa <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">DeLauro</span>, whose husband Stanley <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Greenburg</span> works for Monsanto. The bill is essentially a giant gift package for Monsanto, mandating the criminalization of seed banking, prison terms and confiscatory fines for small farmers and 24 hour GPS tracking of their animals, and of "industrial" standards to independent farms...." </em>(click article title to read more)<br /><br /><a href="http://cryptogon.com/?p=7362"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Cryptogon</span> March 9, 2009</a> - Say Hello to H.R. 875: Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 - a Step-by-Step Breakdown of the bill.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=12671">Campaign for Liberty March 6, 2008</a> - Explanations of various parts of the bill and actions you can take.<br /><br />Please - This could be the last year you enjoy a fresh, juicy, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">nutritious</span> tomato out of your own garden or from a local farm stand! Save our Seeds! Take action today!<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Things you can do</strong> (Source: <a href="http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=12671">Campaign for Liberty March 6, 2008</a>)</p><ol><li>Contact your members at 202-224-3121 and ask them to oppose HR 875 and S 425.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">While you are at it ask them if they personally have read the legislation and what their position is? If they have not read the legislation ask them to read it and politely let them know that just because other <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Representatives</span> are not reading the legislation and voting on it does not mean they can do the same.</span> </li><li>Get in touch with local farmers and food producers by attending a local farmers market and asking them how business is. </li><li>Attend a <a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/localchapters/index.html">local <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">WAPF</span> meeting</a>, this is a good start to learning about what is going on in farming and local & state initiatives. </li><li>Check out the <a href="http://www.ftcldf.org/index.html">Farmers Legal Defense Fund </a></li><li>Find out who sits on your states agriculture and farming committee and contact them with your concerns. </li><li>Continue to contact your elected officials and let them know your position on legislation and why. </li><li>Get active at the local and state levels, this is the quickest way to initiate change.<br /></li></ol>Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-13355397857114927942008-07-16T08:55:00.000-07:002008-12-08T18:39:13.324-08:00Raspberry Season<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkkooEI82c8cEzcMbi6cZ6LZcIRj6TKyp3USrZWdf4DxK5cWohAGPcWnS4x594Qkblml_HKIeHzyvsJiehfK9D9iH1P4QeZryZiUTUAPEyByKvSkRj6Ho9Fnq6K6P9UmR9NcMRrMkUba9/s1600-h/DSCN39422008-07-15.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkkooEI82c8cEzcMbi6cZ6LZcIRj6TKyp3USrZWdf4DxK5cWohAGPcWnS4x594Qkblml_HKIeHzyvsJiehfK9D9iH1P4QeZryZiUTUAPEyByKvSkRj6Ho9Fnq6K6P9UmR9NcMRrMkUba9/s320/DSCN39422008-07-15.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223641556159226754" /></a><br />Everyday I spend about 10 minutes among the raspberry canes - this yields me a few scratches and about a 1/2 pint of sun-warmed, dusty-red berries each day!Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-56048716452506904722008-07-01T08:37:00.001-07:002008-07-01T09:09:19.749-07:00Late June Garden Photos<div><embed src="http://widget-26.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=144115188093523494&site=widget-26.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188093523494&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-26.slide.com/p1/144115188093523494/bb_t054_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188093523494&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-26.slide.com/p2/144115188093523494/bb_t054_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=144115188093523494&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-26.slide.com/p4/144115188093523494/bb_t054_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div><br />If anyone can identify some of my "unknown" flowers, please help me out. <br />Most of our garden flowers come from the roots, seeds, cuttings, etc of friend/family gardens. Okay, a few Home Depot runs to be sure, but... it's quite the almost-heirloom garden! :)Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-69957081457165113762008-06-11T18:33:00.001-07:002008-12-08T18:39:13.597-08:00June Berries<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQonxHWY2_QHijok-hdXQVyTtuio8TQbYTsLiRhd91tKVGqver5XPQeDPLTWY-GFcEl_R3qeTERJDvgngOlOG7qrgwA-IYrC4DEq0Ja1lqTWH2Hz7ZnctzpECFAomGiUIav9XS5CB5KIL/s1600-h/DSCN37582008-06-05.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQonxHWY2_QHijok-hdXQVyTtuio8TQbYTsLiRhd91tKVGqver5XPQeDPLTWY-GFcEl_R3qeTERJDvgngOlOG7qrgwA-IYrC4DEq0Ja1lqTWH2Hz7ZnctzpECFAomGiUIav9XS5CB5KIL/s320/DSCN37582008-06-05.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210802247749014498" /></a><br /><br />Red berries, studded with seeds<br />That serve as tart and sugar to my tongue<br />You cannot hide your blushing faces from my <br />hungry fingersJulie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-3755730186700288282008-04-28T19:54:00.000-07:002008-04-28T19:56:10.391-07:00One of my favorite "Garden" poemsRoot Cellar <br />by Theodore Roethke<br /><br />Nothing would sleep in that cellar, dank as a ditch,<br />Bulbs broke out of boxes hunting for chinks in the dark,<br />Shoots dangled and drooped,<br />Lolling obscenely from mildewed crates,<br />Hung down long yellow evil necks, like tropical snakes.<br />And what a congress of stinks!<br />Roots ripe as old bait,<br />Pulpy stems, rank, silo-rich,<br />Leaf-mold, manure, lime, piled against slippery planks.<br />Nothing would give up life:<br />Even the dirt kept breathing a small breath. <br /><br /><br />I love how the dirt is breathing - sometimes in the spring, when living things haven't popped up their heads, and pretty much I have an entire "dirt garden" so far, I imagine the dirt breathing a little, teeming with invisible life.Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-81894012598209882752008-04-21T17:29:00.000-07:002008-12-08T18:39:13.735-08:00Where have all the tulips gone?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbZ3ynq25sgZqb1fQNh4ygoEiD03OQennLshhG_QML1LOtkpE69ah6arxMKl7wJimDb3j0radS9r_gP8cxynwSDI-UTzxkmSeRUyy-Z1WfxC-TvrhKNBrdFK_h8vRW0w-j3sCayKAphDb/s1600-h/DSCN36452008-04-21.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbZ3ynq25sgZqb1fQNh4ygoEiD03OQennLshhG_QML1LOtkpE69ah6arxMKl7wJimDb3j0radS9r_gP8cxynwSDI-UTzxkmSeRUyy-Z1WfxC-TvrhKNBrdFK_h8vRW0w-j3sCayKAphDb/s200/DSCN36452008-04-21.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191862829785656642" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxOras4_soxM32NzHyC2ogTUA0bcfs5-HkWTUcpn7rWzPTeHGFvhuWVcbG8dBfO5tAWoAlbGk2QM4sZnq7noqc6lcItA1tmBxshrwJVQkBs_jy6szzWu6klD2JyIi-3yBHGuJgVMwN8jL/s1600-h/DSCN36482008-04-21.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxOras4_soxM32NzHyC2ogTUA0bcfs5-HkWTUcpn7rWzPTeHGFvhuWVcbG8dBfO5tAWoAlbGk2QM4sZnq7noqc6lcItA1tmBxshrwJVQkBs_jy6szzWu6klD2JyIi-3yBHGuJgVMwN8jL/s200/DSCN36482008-04-21.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191861833353243954" /></a><br /><br />Alack, alack - all my tulips seem to have gone missing! Only this one small bunch of fiery blooms have risen like multiple suns around the corner of the house.Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994272201458283951.post-16038144715002630022008-04-05T14:54:00.000-07:002008-04-05T15:04:09.812-07:00Waking Up the EarthAs the sun stretched her arms after a long rain, I happened upon my garden from last year. Historically speaking, we've had a winter with frigid temperatures, an early snow that didn't allow us to get the leaves off the beds, and several deep snows that comforted the land through the night season. <br />So, my garden looked sad and depleted, drab and defeated. <br />I shook the earth like the shoulder of a sleeping child, and raked the sleep of leaf cover from its eyes. <br />Wake up! I said. Wake up!<br /><br />The crocuses - purple and yellow - have already been blinking their bright eyes back at me, but from under the covers. Now they burst bright and clean green from the black earth - the firsts of spring. <br /><br />Nubs of hyacinth, spikes of iris, tubes of tulips - especially those I transplanted last fall from the shady back yard - now show themselves as well since the clearing. I planted some new babes today as well - lily of the valley for the deep shady regions, Columbine and Freesia for the corner sunny spot. <br /><br />The earth is alive again.Julie Kierashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468486248699926325noreply@blogger.com0